Conditions for Spring Grizz in 7-38

[kayjayess]

I am heading up to 7-38 on Friday for 2 weeks. Two of us have Grizz LEH and our other buddy has a tag for a black. I have talked to & emailed a number of you and appreciate all the insight and direction offered. Just putting this out there for any last minute info on the current conditions up there. I know it is a super late spring and would delay 2 weeks if my holidays allowed but not much I can do. Just have to head up and hope for the best.

So anyone up in that zone that can pass along how things are shaping up (Mackenzie is 20 degrees C today), it would be greatly appreciated. If anyone is in the zone from the 8th to the 21st look for a black GMC 4WD. Might have a cold beer or warm coffee for you.

Thanks again,

Kayjayess

Feel free to PM me or post. And I will be posting any/all pics from the trip when I return.

[jml11]

Hopefully some of the roads were plowed or you won't be getting very far, but I think the mining roads up there are so you should be able to get in at least, getting around may be a chore though. All of the unplowed bush roads I saw today (within and hour of PG) are still snow covered and are still being used by snowmobilers, no way of getting a truck down them at all. Based on what I saw in my area today I am going to wait another two weeks and maybe I'll be able to get into where I want to go. But that will only happen if the weather stays good. Any north facing slopes and shaded areas may not open up for another three weeks I'm thinking. At one point it was -4 in the bush where I was and then I drove out the highway (~15km) at it was +6! but it did enventually get up to +15 in southern facing areas. Unfortuntaley the bush is much cooler than the temps the towns are getting....also the eastline is not 7-38 but I imagine conditions will be the same...bring snow shoes....

[moosinaround]

Yup take the snowshoes!! If it wasn't plowed you will be doing a lot of hoofin it!! Good luck! It is pretty country when you get off the beaten path!! Moosin

[Rackmastr]

Kyle,

Just got home from work today but I WILL get in touch with you this week about some info on the area. Although I cant give you any info about weather, I will try and point you in the right direction for your hunt.

Been super busy buddy.....maybe tomorrow evening at work I can sneak away to make a call. If not, I will email you as much info as I have....

Trev

[Camp Cook]

The main mine road is definately cleared and the road that forks off just past Omenica Camp (173 - 174 klm) is also plowed up to the villages on the north end of Williston Lake.

I just tried calling my buddy that lives at 184klm on his satt phone to get a snow report for you but I couldn't reach him must have his power shut off for the night.

[sniper58]

When I left Kemess last Wednesday there was still 3' of snow on the ground.
Got an email from one of the guys at the mine today and the first bear (black) of the season was sighted about 80 km south of the mine yesterday.

[traveller]

Be way too early at the moment mate, specially if its a late spring. I drew 7-38 a few years ago now, when I resided in B.C.(now reside in Australia). I shot a boar on the 26th May and the area had only just opened up enough to access the previous 4 days. I know this as I used to work at Fraser Lake at the mine working 4 on, 4 off roster and put 6 consecative trips in. The area I shot the grizz in was up behind Aiken Lake in the Kliyul creek watershed. Some good open south facing slopes in that area. Spotted him from the logging road, above tree line and a further 2klm at the back of the last logged area late in the everning, and made a made dash up and shot him on dark. Made my way back down and headed back up to find him the next morning. Founding him 80 meters from where I last saw him in a stand of stunted spruce. (the actual story is alot more interestin but I haven't the time to go into detail).
Also shot a couple of good blacks during the trips as well
http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/mhtml:{FCD6441B-AA65-427D-80EE-BDAB43EE7E03}mid://00000002/!x-usc:cid:{10F89E9F-4E3C-4346-BA27-E757B0DC51E1}/me & grizzly.JPG

http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/mhtml:{FCD6441B-AA65-427D-80EE-BDAB43EE7E03}mid://00000002/!x-usc:cid:{B5A5108B-C1E2-42DA-9CBF-CFFCF26145DB}/grizzly valley looking west from the bluff the grizzly was s.JPG
http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/mhtml:{FCD6441B-AA65-427D-80EE-BDAB43EE7E03}mid://00000002/!x-usc:cid:{CEFD5779-D698-4413-9EC2-44C61789214E}/2nd black bear i shot after hair raising stalk in the aspen .JPG

[traveller]

having trouble loading pics

[kayjayess]

Thanks everyone for the input. I really appreciate it. Yea it is going to be a hard hunt but will take it as it comes. We have a couple tags for blacks too so I am hopeful we will get something.

Anyway, two more days to run and we are off - so again thanks for the posts and will keep checking until Thursday night. Good luck to the rest of you on your spring hunts.

Kayjayess